


Wonderful

by Talktoziertome



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: But also, M/M, balletdancer!eddie, skater!richie, stoner!richie, usual teen party shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-25 06:41:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13828647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talktoziertome/pseuds/Talktoziertome
Summary: He was a punk. He did ballet. What more can I say?Eddie has a crush on his ballet partner’s skater boyfriend, Richie.I heard sk8er boi by Avril Lavigne and thought of Reddie. So, here’s the product of that.





	Wonderful

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't that great but I thought I would at least try to write my favorite boys once. 
> 
> For you hella visual people out there: Eddie and Angelica’s move is the last in this video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7AaZhEOJSY

 

_Inhale. Exhale. You can do this._ Eddie and his partner had been trying to perfect this one lift in their routine for what seemed like hours. He was sticky with sweat, needing to change his tights, and was getting a headache in the base of his neck.

“Go.” He said. She ran at him.

He stuck out his arms as she jumped. She landed bridal style. As soon as she was steady in his embrace, he threw her up, using his elbows and pushing as hard as she could so she flew. She spun, her hands grabbing for his shoulders. She was unsteady.

He cursed and brought her to the floor.

She huffed; her hands on her hips. “What the fuck, Eddie?”

“There’s something up with your spin. Your landing is off or something.” He ran his fingers through his damp hair.

She scoffed, taking her blonde hair out of her top knot. “My spin is fine. It’s not my fault that you’re not throwing me up high enough.” Angelica annoyed him more than any of the other girls at the studio, but she was the best dancer and they were an excellent team. They pushed each other. They were both the best and they knew it. Eddie couldn’t complain about being partnered with her when he saw all his medals and trophies before he went to bed every night.

“Well, it’s not my fault you have weak arms!”

Somehow they always ended up this way- in a screaming match.

“OH PLEASE! I have weak arms? You can barely even lift me, Kaspbrak!” She tossed her hair over her shoulder, poking her finger against his chest.

He shoved her finger away and rolled his eyes. “Let’s just get this over with, Monroe.”

She back stepped a few paces. She tossed her hair up again, the elastic twisting around her fingers before snapping against her bun. “Just make sure you can fucking throw me this time.”

“I’ll throw you into next Tuesday.” He said under his breath as she began to run forward.

He caught her. She spun in the air, bracing her arms on his shoulder when she flipped. With his hands on her hips, holding her high in the air, she split her legs. He held her up by one hand, then, a little longer than he’s supposed to just to show his strength. He smirked. Then, while turning his body, with both hands he slowly flipped her over before bringing her to the ground again in their final pose.

They jumped at the sound of clapping. In the reflection of the mirror in front of them, they saw across the studio was a Richie Tozier, clapping with a goofy grin on his face.

“You did so great, baby!”  Eddie’s heart skipped a beat, and he felt his face grow hotter. The pain in the back of his neck intensified as Angelica squealed and ran into Richie’s arms.

_Baby_. Eddie had heard Richie call him that a million times in his head. Sometimes when he sat in class and saw Richie picking at the neon-colored band-aids on his elbows. Sometimes when he saw Richie roll passed the library window, boombox on his shoulder, while Eddie studied. Eddie couldn’t even think of how many times he’d imagined being wrapped in those pale, lanky arms while Richie laughed lightly and whispered that word in his ear. Sometimes when he laid in bed at night, eyes closed, panting, his hand down his…

Eddie found himself staring, a chill running down his spine. He quickly grabbed his bag, hauling it over his shoulder and putting his water bottle to his lips. Hopefully, if he had enough water in his mouth as he walked passed them, he wouldn’t have to speak and make a fool of himself.

“Hey, Eds!” So close.

He swallowed the liquid. “Don’t call me that, Richard.”

Richie’s eye crinkled in the corner when he laughed, his lips stretching over crooked teeth. “I just wanted to know if you wanted to come to this shindig I’m throwing at the pipes? 10 o’clock?”

The pipes. It was an abandoned zoo on the outskirts of Derry. The teens of Derry got up to no good there. Bev told him that she saw Richie shredding up the old gorilla habitat on his board, a cigarette hanging from his lips. Bev was braver than Eddie. He was afraid of going to the pipes.

Eddie could feel the pain in his neck grow larger, into his shoulders as he gazed down at Angelica’s disgusted face. She lightly hit her boyfriend’s chest from where she was hooked under Richie’s arm. “He doesn’t skate, Rich.”

Eddie felt his mouth start to move.  “And I’m not a loser stoner either. So thanks but no thanks.”

Richie gripped his chest like he’d just been shot. His smile somehow seemed wider. “You wound me, Eds.”

Eddie pushed passed them. “Don’t call me that.”

As Eddie got into the shower later that day, feeling the sweat melt from his body, he made up his mind. He’d be at the pipes that night. Richie had asked him to go after all, and how could he say no to an old friend?

Warmth spread over him, not only from the water falling onto his shoulders and trailing down his body but the memories that flooded his thoughts. They had been friends when they were younger.

_“Best friends,” Richie said, holding Eddie under his arm. His knuckles dug into Eddie’s scalp, messing up his carefully gelled hair._

_“Stop it, Rich!” Eddie pushed him, his hands gripping the taller boy’s hip. “God, ya know, I hate it when you do that!” He straightened his bright colored polo shirt, flattening his hair with his casted arm._

_“I can’t help it, Spaghetti!” He pinched his cheek, muttering ‘cute, cute, cute!’ and making kissy noises._

_“Gross.” Eddie’s ears turned pink._

Eddie lathered the strawberry shampoo into his hair with both hands, massaging his headache away. The fruity scent made him think of summer. The sun making his skin burn. His lungs working harder than usual as he ran around the Denbrough’s backyard…

_“You’ll never catch me, slowpoke!” Richie yelled over his shoulder as his Hawaiian shirt flapped under his arms. His laugh echoed in the backyard._

_“You’re n-n-not being fair, T-trashmouth!” Bill yelled from the sidelines._

_Eddie frowned, pumping his arms harder, moving his legs faster._

_“Fuck,” Richie muttered as he fell behind Eddie by a few steps. Stan yelled praise to Eddie from where he stood next to Bill._

_Eddie jumped up and hit the windchime on the fence they were running to. He won the race._

_Richie jogged up and hit the windchime with his hand (without having to jump, much to Eddie’s annoyance). He huffed out a breath. “Damn. Good job, Spaghetti.”_

_“Don’t call me that.” Eddie wheezed._

_“Boys! Strawberries!” They spun around to see Mrs. Denbrough coming out of the back door with a plate of fruit in her hand and Georgie on her hip._

_They made eye contact then started running, shoving each other and laughing the whole way._

Eddie sighed, turning the porcelain knob. He stepped out of the shower and ran a towel over his hair. He wrapped the towel around his body and padded into his room. He picked up his gym bag, throwing it onto his bed.

_Richie bounced up and down, the bed creaking noisily._

_“Cut it out, Rich! You’re going to break the bed.” Eddie chastised from where he sat cross-legged on the floor, a comic book in his hands._

_Richie landed on his stomach on the mattress, catching his chin in his hands. “You’re right. Can’t break two Kaspbrak beds. Since I destroyed your mom’s last night.”_

_Eddie rolled his eyes, not looking up from the comic pages. “You’re disgusting.”_

_Richie rolled on his back, laughing at the ceiling._

Eddie removed his dance shoes from the bag, throwing them on the hook next to his closet door. He emptied the rest of the bag out onto the bed. He threw his sweaty clothes in his hamper. He lifted the empty sandwich box he’d had since first grade; he ran his finger over the ‘EK’ and ‘RT’ scratched into the top.

_Eddie blushed, picking the scab on his knee under the table. He pushed his green sandwich box across the lunch table toward Richie. Eddie felt bad for the other 7-year-old. He seemed to forget his lunch bag as he ran out the door every morning. Richie always sat with the rest of their classmates, tummy rumbling as he eyed their chicken nuggets and peanut butter sandwiches._

_Richie looked up from staring at Bills lunch with a frantic gaze. Eddie had never seen someone look so crazy over baby carrots. Richie looked down at the sandwich in front of him. Eddie smiled at him. Richie smiled back, picking up half of the sandwich and shoving it in his mouth- jelly spilling on the front of his shirt._

Eddie threw the container back in his bag. He pulled on boxers and fell backward onto his bed, sighing up at his ceiling.

Everything had changed once high school had started. Eddie got more uptight, and serious about dancing. He spent most of his time in the library nervous about school. Richie got more laid back, and serious about making silly voices that made girls giggle. Eddie heard that he was always under the bleachers out by the football field, cracking jokes and smoking pot.

Eddie folded his hands on his stomach, getting lost in his thoughts of his faded friendship.

 

* * *

 

 

“That’s my boy right there!” Beverly whispered as Eddie straddled his second-floor windowsill.

Eddie put his finger to his lips, shushing his friend. “Bev! My mom will hear you!”

She took a pack of cigarettes from her pocket, watching him shimmy his way down the drain pipe next to his window. “Sorry. It’s just not every day that my hard-working nerd friend wants to party with me.” She lit the stick that was between her lips.

When his feet hit the ground, his let out a shaky breath. What was he _doing_? He looked up at his window, his curtains flowing out in the wind with the dark night sky as it’s background. He felt stupid.

“Bev…” He whispered.

“What?” She began to walk down his lawn, toward the street.

“Do you… Do you think I have a chance with a guy like Richie?” He crossed his arms over his chest as he walked beside her, his hands cradling his elbows. He felt comfort in the softness of his sweater.

She let out a breath of smoke before turning her head to him. She smiled. “’Course, Eddie. He’d be dumb not to want you.” She knocked shoulders with him. “Just because we’re all different people now doesn’t mean we’re not the losers club deep down.”

Eddie nodded. He bit his lip. “That’s the problem, though.” Bev cocked her head to the side, questioning. “He is dumb.”

She chuckled, shaking her head. “You got me there, Eddie.”

 

* * *

 

 

Eddie didn’t know what he expected the pipes to be like in all honesty. He was sure it wasn’t what he walked into with Bev though.

It was just a bunch of broken down habitats covered in dirt and terrible graffiti done by teenagers that think dick pictures are hilarious. There were skateboarders everywhere, shredding away on their colorfully painted boards. There were random groups of teens scattered around. Kids were screaming and laughing and tilting back liquor bottles. He felt suddenly overwhelmed when he saw Angelica.

She was on Richie’s back, his large hands cupping her thighs. They were surrounded by a cloud of smoke like they were in their own little bubble together. She slowly took the pipe down from her mouth and put it to Richie’s lips. He closed his eyes as she lit the end with the lighter in her hand. Richie inhaled, his chest rising. Eddie held his breath.

Richie’s lips were pink around the glass pipe pressed to them, the same soft, light pink of the girls’ outfits at the ballet. His lashes brushed against his freckled cheeks. Eddie remembered a time when he would count each freckle in the pillow forts in Richie’s living room during sleepovers.

“Eddie?” Beverly’s voice broke him away from the scene in front of him.

“Yeah?” He rolled up the sleeves of his sweater, his nerves getting the best of him.

“Are you okay?” She put a hand on his shoulder.

He nodded, eyes roaming the party in front of him again.  He noticed the large metal barrel full of ice, beer and soda cans next to where Richie and Angelica swayed together. “I- I think I’m just going to get something to drink.”

Beverly smiled. “Sounds good.” She split away from him, going on a search to find Ben and Mike.

_Inhale. Exhale. You can do this._ Eddie started walking toward the couple. He reached the barrel. He pushed the ice around digging through for a specific drink. Another arm joined his.

“Diet Cherry.” Richie pulled the soda from the bottom right away. “Your favorite.” He handed it to Eddie.

“Uh, thanks.” Eddie could feel his ears turning pink as he tapped the top of the can with his fingernail.

Richie smiled down at him, his eyes a bit puffy. He threw his arm around Eddie's shoulders. “I’m glad you came tonight, Eddie Spaghetti.”

“Me too, Trashmouth.” He said with a smile on his lips and butterflies in his stomach.

Eddie felt that maybe this was the start of something wonderful.

**Author's Note:**

> How is this even about the song? Who knows. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed it! I’m feeling BalletDancer!Eddie so this story might resurface with a different plot.  
> Or if I get a lot of feedback (pls love me) I'll continue this one! 
> 
> Come talk to me and send me requests at talktoziertome on tumblr!


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